How should I set up my design file for foil?

Foil printing applies a thin metallic layer to chosen areas of your design for a reflective, premium accent. Foil elements go on their own layer, marked as a spot color, so the press knows exactly where to lay the metallic film. The rest of your artwork stays as normal.

• Create a separate layer for foil, defined as a single named spot color or filled 100% K (solid black), on a transparent background.
• Fill foil shapes in solid coverage, not tints or gradients, and keep them as vector wherever possible so edges stay crisp and read clearly.
• Keep foil text and lines bold enough to hold cleanly: stay at roughly 8pt or larger and avoid ultra-fine lines and tiny detail, which can fill in or break up.
• Keep your CMYK artwork on its own layer so the two never merge, and export a layered PDF.
• Review a proof before production to confirm the foil registration.
• Start from a template with the foil layer guidelines already configured.

If the foil layer is missing or set up incorrectly, most printers hold the order until a proper file is provided, so double-check it before submitting.